I didn’t buy your fourth album
at the time it came out
because I thought I knew you well enough
that you would give it to me
for free.
I did not.
I don’t know why I thought I did.
We knew each other, sure,
but I don’t know what got into my head
to think I deserved anything from you.
I was not entitled to any gifts
or time or attention from you.
It was ridiculous to imagine anything but.
I see that now.

But in the time it took
for revelation
your record went out of print
which is almost certainly the wrong term for vinyl
and the record company folded
and then they stopped making cassettes
(they being the world
I guess)
and then CDs
and now, I’d be happy to buy a retro LP
but I don’t know if you’ve started making them
or if you even remember who I am.
Do you?

And… do you think you could send me
that fourth album,
whether I deserve it or not?
I’d really like to know
what you were up to
back then
when we kind of knew each other.